Master of Professional Studies in Hospitality Management
Elevate your career in hospitality management
The Penn State Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Hospitality Management prepares students to advance into upper-level management roles in hospitality and related fields. This flexible program fits the schedules of working professionals through online and in-person coursework.
Delve into profit maximization, data analytics, leading people and teams, and industry trends. Take web-based, MBA-designed courses from the Penn State Smeal College of Business and learn tactics that can be directly applied to current career work. Gain access to the global hospitality community and learn alongside professionals from around the world.
Gain skills to lead in hospitality management
- Analyze, translate and incorporate hospitality data in decision-making processes.
- Manage customer expectations during the consumption experience to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Leverage digital channels to promote a hospitality brand and execute data-driven strategies.
- Develop leadership skills that facilitate motivation, shape group dynamics and manage conflict.
- Coordinate capacity and demand management efforts that optimize profit and firm value.
Leverage a graduate program built for your schedule
This graduate degree program is offered in a hybrid format, with both online and in-person coursework, to accommodate professional and personal travel commitments, accessibility needs, individual preferences, international students, and those who may be abroad.
New students first participate in an immersive weekend in residence at the Penn State University Park campus, then continue their coursework either in person or online. All students return to campus one day per month to meet with professors and build face-to-face relationships with other industry professionals.
The program can be completed on a full-time or part-time basis. Part-time scheduling allows flexibility for working professionals, those with families, and others who would benefit from a part-time enrollment option.
Costs
The cost of the program is priced per credit hour, allowing students to accurately plan and manage their finances and offer flexibility if their personal finances change over time.
Courses
- HM 550: Hospitality Applied Research and Consulting (3)
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This course helps students develop skills necessary to analyze performance issues both quantitatively and qualitatively and to evaluate implemented solutions following sound principles of research design.
- HM 560: Hospitality Data Analytics (3)
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This course provides a cross-disciplinary perspective to help students analyze, understand, translate, and incorporate common forms of hospitality data in their decision-making processes when designing and executing data-driven strategies.
This features an executive in-residence weekend at Penn State University Park.
- HM 800: Dimensions and Directions of the Hospitality Industry (3)
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This course examines of the nature of the hospitality industry at a macro level, along with the environment in which the hospitality industry operates.
This features an executive in-residence weekend at Penn State University Park.
- HM 820: Corporate Officer and Investor Perspectives (3)
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This course details the various processes involved in a hospitality real-estate investment, focusing on how investment and financing decisions can optimize firm value, the decision frameworks used to select various forms of financing, and hospitality asset valuations.
- HM 830: Hospitality Profit Optimization (3)
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This course addresses the coordination of capacity and demand management efforts required to optimize profit.
- HM 840: Hospitality Customer Journey and Digital Reach (3)
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This is a two part course: the first part tackles how to manage customer expectations during the consumption experience (and thus ensure customer satisfaction) and the second address how to use digital and social channels to promote a hospitality brand.
- HM 860: Leading People and Teams (3)
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This course focuses on the development of leadership and interpersonal skills, with a specific emphasis on settings and situations relevant to the hospitality industry. Particular areas of focus will be on facilitating motivation, understanding and navigating individual differences, ethical use of power and influence, managing diversity, shaping group dynamics, and effectively managing conflict.
Bulletin updates forthcoming. For more information contact Amina Atkins (ava6807@psu.edu).
- HM 880: Analysis of Future Trends in Hospitality (Capstone) (3)
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This capstone course serves as the culminating requirement for the program, requiring students to synthesize and apply the concepts, skills and insights acquired in previous coursework and in practical work environments (either internships or work experience).
- HM 895: Internship* (3)
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Supervised, professionally oriented, off-campus, non-group instruction, including field experiences, practicums, or internships.
*Internship credits are variable credit, determined by your prior industry experience. If it is determined that an internship is not required, an HM elective or independent study based on your individual career needs / goals will be required to fulfill the 3-credit requirement.
- MBADM 571: Global Strategic Management (3)
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This course covers the study of strategic management, and is designed to integrate many of the components and key concepts that students have studied throughout the core business curriculum.
- MBADM 820: Financial Management (3)
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This course is an intensive examination of techniques available to aid the financial manager in decision making.
Bulletin updates forthcoming. For more information contact Amina Atkins (ava6807@psu.edu).
- ENTR 502 -or- ENTR 820 (3)
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ENTR 502: BUSINESS MODELING AND NEW VENTURE CREATION
ENTR 502 focuses on the process of launching a new venture, in a corporate setting or as a new startup, including identifying a problem or market opportunity, developing business models, forming a team, financing, analyzing markets, assessing the competitive environment, and planning to acquire leadership talent. A business model canvas framework is used as the primary tool for describing, analyzing, and designing business models. In essence, this course identifies and defines the key components necessary to develop a formal business plan. Concepts and techniques explore new venture creation business strategies, including different approaches for business model development. Students will gain insight into how to translate new ideas into viable projects and business ventures. Students will learn the importance of understanding markets, customer segments, and the competitive landscape, as well as how to obtain funding for new ventures. Lastly, the issue of how to acquire leadership and human resource talent to make anew venture viable over time is investigated.
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ENTR 820: CORPORATE INNOVATION STRATEGIES AND ENTREPRENEURIAL METHODS
This course is designed to survey and explore the methods used to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in a corporate setting. Emphasis will be placed on the methods used in organizations to foster creativity, innovation, and new venture creation. This course covers both tactical and strategic approaches to innovation and entrepreneurship, and examines these in multiple contexts, including technology, business process, product, and strategy. Furthermore, the course will expand on widely accepted frameworks and perspectives for managing innovation, such as agile product development, and the lean startup approach. Students will also delve into the more abstract notion of how to create and enable an organizational culture of innovation, manage conflict, and negotiate agreements effectively. Lastly, a final objective of the class is to ensure students understand how to protect and manage intellectual property.
Bulletin updates forthcoming. For more information contact Amina Atkins (ava6807@psu.edu).
How to apply
International applicants must submit materials at least four months before the beginning of the semester for which they are applying.
Applications submitted after final deadlines will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on program availability, application materials, and video assessment.
- Graduate School requirements (university-wide for all graduate applicants):
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- A completed online Graduate School application
- Undergraduate Degree(s) as required per country of admission by the Graduate School confirmed with submission of copies of official transcripts / documentation (for institutions outside the U.S. documents may include marksheets, record of courses, degree/study certificate, original diploma, etc.) from all post-secondary institutions attended (and official English translations if the language of instruction is not English)
- English proficiency (if required per country of admission by the Graduate School)
- Payment of a non-refundable application fee (decided by the Graduate School)
- School of Hospitality Management requirements (after Graduate School processes application):
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- An undergraduate degree (in any field)
- A resume or CV
- Two letters of recommendation (preferably one professional and one academic)
- A statement of career and educational goals in essay format (2-3 pages in length)
- Submission of a video interview
"This program is not just an academic endeavor but a comprehensive experience that promotes personal and professional development.”
Want to learn more?
Have questions about the program or application process?
We're happy to help. Email the Penn State School of Hospitality Management.